First days of spring bring unorthodox weather

Published: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 9:22 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 9:22 a.m.

It’s probably tough on folks with severe allergies, but our trip to the Ellzey family farm near Natchitoches last weekend had its golden moments.

It’s the season for the pine trees, which cover most of the former farm land, to pollinate, to initiate another crop of pine cones; and they do it with a vengeance.

A yellow powder blows in with the March wind, coats everything and even creates “drifts” in some protected places. The ground, roofs, cars, household pets, all exhibit a sort of golden glow.

Not suffering from allergies much myself, I am not sure how the surplus of pine pollen impacts those with delicate respiratory systems, but if the effects are quantity-related, there could be widespread sneezing and possibly worse.

It is also the season for flowering trees, dogwoods, red buds and others to scatter their beauty through the undergrowth. We saw a few examples, but the practice of planting pine forests has replaced much of the natural mixed woods where the dogwoods and other shrubby undergrowth trees were common.

They also have a very shallow root system, and during some three years of serious drought many died even though trees around them could draw moisture from deeper tap-root systems.

Spring? Near-freezing temperatures were forecast for north Louisiana when we drove home Sunday, to find cars lined up for snowballs in Houma. And Monday morning had a menu sign changer on Tunnel Boulevard in what appeared to be an overcoat.

Golden Meadow? My suggestion that a springtime weed called the pis en lit might have created the golden meadows from which the Bayou Lafourche town got its name brought an email from Tim Rochel of Gibson.

“The town of Golden Meadow was named for the goldenrod flower also known as the ‘solidago’, not ‘pis en lit’.

“Many years ago when I was a small child, I remember traveling down La. 1 to reach Grand Isle. My father had a friend who had a camp on the island. We traveled through Golden Meadow, and I saw the area all covered with the golden flowers. When we came off the old Leeville Bridge going south, I remember oilfield equipment in a field of goldenrod. Today that is water.”

Other memories: Eldon Freeman, who grew up near where Levron crosses Tunnel Boulevard, recalls boyhood rambles in his neighborhood.

“We would walk the railroad tracks behind Standard Tile out toward the Southdown Sugar House, and we would pass the huge house, which Yot Duplantis bought years later in what became Krumbhaar Subdivision. In the springtime and later, we would sneak into the yard and partake of some Japan plums, next to the small house adjoining the big one.

“They were not the best things to eat, but I guess most of it was the sneaking into the yard and picking a few? I don’t remember the people living there ever fussed at us, but it was something we did when we weren’t our normal angelic selves.

Old plantation? That cluster of old oaks at 3650 Southdown Mandalay, just out of Houma, an old home site? What plantation?

<p>It's probably tough on folks with severe allergies, but our trip to the Ellzey family farm near Natchitoches last weekend had its golden moments.</p><p>It's the season for the pine trees, which cover most of the former farm land, to pollinate, to initiate another crop of pine cones; and they do it with a vengeance.</p><p>A yellow powder blows in with the March wind, coats everything and even creates “drifts” in some protected places. The ground, roofs, cars, household pets, all exhibit a sort of golden glow.</p><p>Not suffering from allergies much myself, I am not sure how the surplus of pine pollen impacts those with delicate respiratory systems, but if the effects are quantity-related, there could be widespread sneezing and possibly worse.</p><p>It is also the season for flowering trees, dogwoods, red buds and others to scatter their beauty through the undergrowth. We saw a few examples, but the practice of planting pine forests has replaced much of the natural mixed woods where the dogwoods and other shrubby undergrowth trees were common.</p><p>They also have a very shallow root system, and during some three years of serious drought many died even though trees around them could draw moisture from deeper tap-root systems.</p><p>Spring? Near-freezing temperatures were forecast for north Louisiana when we drove home Sunday, to find cars lined up for snowballs in Houma. And Monday morning had a menu sign changer on Tunnel Boulevard in what appeared to be an overcoat.</p><p>Golden Meadow? My suggestion that a springtime weed called the pis en lit might have created the golden meadows from which the Bayou Lafourche town got its name brought an email from Tim Rochel of Gibson.</p><p>“The town of Golden Meadow was named for the goldenrod flower also known as the 'solidago', not 'pis en lit'.</p><p>“Many years ago when I was a small child, I remember traveling down La. 1 to reach Grand Isle. My father had a friend who had a camp on the island. We traveled through Golden Meadow, and I saw the area all covered with the golden flowers. When we came off the old Leeville Bridge going south, I remember oilfield equipment in a field of goldenrod. Today that is water.”</p><p>Other memories: Eldon Freeman, who grew up near where Levron crosses Tunnel Boulevard, recalls boyhood rambles in his neighborhood.</p><p>“We would walk the railroad tracks behind Standard Tile out toward the Southdown Sugar House, and we would pass the huge house, which Yot Duplantis bought years later in what became Krumbhaar Subdivision. In the springtime and later, we would sneak into the yard and partake of some Japan plums, next to the small house adjoining the big one.</p><p>“They were not the best things to eat, but I guess most of it was the sneaking into the yard and picking a few? I don't remember the people living there ever fussed at us, but it was something we did when we weren't our normal angelic selves.</p><p>Old plantation? That cluster of old oaks at 3650 Southdown Mandalay, just out of Houma, an old home site? What plantation?</p><p>Responding? Contact Bill Ellzey at 381-6256, bill-ellzey@att.net, billellzey312@gmail.com or c/o The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361.</p>